Countdown to 2016 - A whole extra day to wait...thread 2!

[MrsDilligaf]

Well hello avid countdowners....

A shiny new thread for us

Link to the last thread here

[HandbagCrazy]

I am very jealous of everyone who gets 2 weeks off. I've had to negotiate like mad to get 9 days.

I just wanted to post because I just had a random Christmassy feeling. Work was busy and stressful and then I did the Aldi shop on the way home. Put the Christmas lights on when I got in then went and put the shopping away and decided to sit down with some cheese, biscuits and chutney as a small snack. Came in, and just suddenly felt spontaneously Christmassy. It's lovely

So plan for this evening (DH is out) is to have a bath and then sit and work on this bloody blanket of his!

[HungryHorace]

8

I got home from Glasgow last night and am 'working from home' this morning (half day).

What this actually means is that I've just filled the kids' stockings so they're ready to go and I'm sitting waiting for something else to happen as I don't actually have much to do! 😂

I have approved some bills, so I've paid for myself for this month, I suppose!

La la laaaaaaaaaa! Bored!

Ooh. Just had an offer accepted. Brief excitement! 😁

Isn't my life so rock'n'roll?!

[HairsprayBabe]

Horace I LOVE "working from home" I only do it once or twice a year but it is so nice to be able to organise the house around emails and stuff.

I don't think i would be disciplined enough to do it all the time though!

[BiddyPop]

I'm dead jealous of those able to work from home. DH is doing it this afternoon...I am stuck in the office still.

My brief excitement was when half the rest of the office turned up at 9.57-9.59am (must be in by 10!) as the "beer and pizza" low key thing turned into a session in a pub. The other half are not due in today (pre booked leave).

My head is still completely stuffed up - I suspect I may be having a very early night at the Department Night Out tonight (poor babysitter won't make much money as DH also expects to be home early, so she will almost definitely have an early finish). I think I will look at the cinema listings and book a movie night in the new year for DH and I, so it won't be too bad for her and I get to see a movie (I haven't been in over a year!).

[BiddyPop]

We'd better get ready to start thread 3 as well!! I suspect this one will not quite make it to Christmas Eve!!

[Mummyreindeerlegz]

I still haven't wrapped anything or made lots of my gifts! I need to crack on at some point.

I also need to work out how to make my soaps!

[HairsprayBabe]

Mummy are they melt and pour or are you using scary chemicals?

If is scarey chems you need to leave them for 6 weeks so the alkali won't burn the skin off whoever you are giving them to!

Melt and pour is super easy, I make mine in a plastic takeaway tub then cut into slices like they do in Lush, looks v. artisanal!

[Mummyreindeerlegz]

Melt and pour, i was trying to work out how to do layers but I can't work out how long it will take to set between layers and I haven't got any isopropyl alcohol or know where to get some.

I was going to make some shapes and suspend them in one lot too but also can't quite work out how you do that!

[HairsprayBabe]

You can use Vodka instead of isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol from the chemist.

For suspension you need to pour a thin layer, wait till it is almost cool and gooier, then add the shapes, then pour a bit more, add more shapes etc. until you have the desired effect.

For layers it depends how thick you are pouring them and how big your mould is!

I found for a takeaway pot a 1.5cm layer was set in the fridge in about 20 mins.

If your layers do blend a bit don't worry, ombre and marbling are still very in!

[Mummyreindeerlegz]

Only 20 minutes? Awesome!

I have vodka. I can use vodka. Thank you.


I'll post pictures of my efforts later :-)

[HairsprayBabe]

Just check it before you pour the next layer in, and if it still isn't set wack it in the freezer for 5 mins!

It is a bit like chocolate, but you don't have to worry about getting a "bloom" from cooling quickly with no tempering.

[Mummyreindeerlegz]

Can you remelt it? I'm worried about wasting it, it's hard to gauge how much to chop up and melt!

Thanks for this xx

[HairsprayBabe]

Yes! you can melt and remelt it as many times as you like just do it over a double boiler and don't let it boil

No worries! Glad to help!

[Mummyreindeerlegz]

Success I think!

[nickdrakeslovechild]

I work from home FT, I love it but do end up working at 10pm on a friday night and holidays are pretty much non existent!
I only have a few presents to wrap and the big food shop, then I am completely done. We are having a really quiet Christmas this year and not even had our normal house party of over 40 people. I thought I would hate it being this slow but I am enjoying doing lots of Christmas crafts and baking with DD.

[MrsDilligaf]

7

SEVEN!!

[MrsDilligaf]

New thread:
Here

[Mummyreindeerlegz]

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[TheWoollybacksWife]

Just seeing if I can...